Disney Princesses Aren’t Racist, But This Candy Land Game Is

Full disclosure, ladies: I love me some Disney Princesses. Now, I’m not into the newer ones–I didn’t even see Tangled (although I heard it was pretty great), but Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine, and Ariel totes have a big place in my heart. I also freaking LOVE Candy Land. It’s my favorite game (hands down) and I’m super good at it. And to those of you who don’t think it’s a game of skill, well, that’s why you never win.

All that said, I’m pretty pissed about the new Disney Princess Candy Land game that’s coming out this winter. I got a preview of the cover art in the mail yesterday, and um, there’s something pretty disturbing about it. Rapunzel and Ariel are featured super-prominently in the left corner, looking all princessey and stuff. Cool. Whatever. But then when you look closely, on the right side, you see a super tiny Tiana and equally minuscule Jasmine peering out from the balcony of a tower. Wait. What? Why can’t they party up front with Rapunzel and Ariel?

I love that half of the princesses included are minority princesses (such a huge improvement from the ’80s when there weren’t even any princesses of color at all!), but why are they like–an eighth of the size of the white girls? Couldn’t they have had four big pictures of princesses and made them all the same size? As it is now, it’s like they just included Jasmine and Tiana as an afterthought. A kind of crappy, half-done, not so great afterthought at that.

Obviously a ton of you are going to say that I’m overreacting to something that’s just meant to be fun and cute, but really guys, stuff like this reinforces the stupid thought that women of color aren’t as important as white women. That they’re supporting characters and not the stars. It sucks, it’s sad, and It bums me out.

What do you think about the Disney Princess Candy Land box? Do you think it’s racist or do you think it’s fine? Sound off in the comments!

If only Tiana was up there, and all the other Princesses were on the balcony, this would not be considered racist.
If disney had one white princes and a lot of black princesses in the game, it would be considered racist to have the white princess in the front, and the black princesses on the balcony.

WTF!!!! I annoys me that a black person can call anything racist against them, but a white person is racist to call a black racist.
(My apologies if you thought my observations are racist) (not!)

anya

What about all the other princesses not featured?

Jennifer

People would not be calling it racist if the white pricesses where tiny and Jasmine and tiana where in front.